ASK THE AGRONOMIST BLOG

Areas of the Midwest recently experienced hail and severe winds from storms, which resulted in damaged crops. As we’re officially in the summer growing season, growers are likely on high alert for what a severe thunderstorm could mean for their emerged fields. Here are a few recommendations from our agronomy team on how to assess and protect your crops after a storm:

Step 1: First things first — scout. Get out in the fields, look at different sections and determine the extent of the damage. Also, note the growth stage of the plants in the field, as that may impact the next steps.

Step 2: If it’s early enough — wait it out. Experts from the Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources said, “With any early-season hail damage, the most important first step is to give the crop time to regrow before addressing damage and making major decisions.” For corn, it’s important to know where the growing point is. For anything under V6, the growing point is still underground so you are likely safe from any long-term damage. For soybeans, it’s a bit trickier as the growing points are above ground immediately after emergence. Experts say to look for broken nodes and damage to stems below the growing point. Even if damage is detected on soybeans, our agronomists recommend waiting up to five to seven days before considering additional steps such as replant.

“Unless the hail or wind has knocked everything over, growers should wait it out,” says Tom Larson, corn technical agronomist for Stine. “There’s no reason to jump the gun right after a storm.”

Step 3: If after five to seven days you see additional damage to crops resulting from the initial damage (e.g., lodging or plant discoloration across fields, any indication that the crop isn’t properly taking up nutrients, or an increase in bacterial disease), it may be time to consider secondary options.

Step 4: Consider fungicides only in severe fungal infestations. According to a recent article by Connie Strunk, South Dakota State University Extension Plant Pathology Field Specialist, “Applying fungicides on hail-damaged plants should only be warranted if there are significant fungal diseases developing on these plants.” If you have heavy fungal pressure, applying a fungicide may be a consideration to help protect the yield potential of the plant. Connie notes fungicide applications for soybeans are best between R1 and R3 — and for corn, VT and R1 when warranted. On the other hand, if fungal pressure is mild to moderate, it may be best to consult your local agronomist before spending money on additional inputs.  

“When a plant is under stress, it’s going to be vulnerable to diseases,” says Larson. ”Growers really need to do their due diligence and scout frequently to see if a post-storm fungicide application is warranted. Stine agronomists can help growers determine if a fungicide might make sense.”

Step 5: Replant only in severe cases. In most cases, your corn should be fine unless heavy disease pressure persists after fungicide passes or in severe wind events where lodging or greensnap occur across fields. But, for soybeans, if severe damage is noticed in several of the nodes, replant may be a consideration. Before doing so, we highly recommend consulting with your local sales rep or agronomist to determine the best path forward.

“If you have a total loss, there are charts out there that can help you determine the percentage basis for replant,” says Larson. “But growers also need to look at it from an insurance standpoint. They need to ensure they’re covered in this regard.”

For more tips on managing your crops following a storm, reach out to your local Stine representative.

Success in the field goes beyond putting the best seed in the ground. Knowing what, when and where to plant has just as much, if not more, impact on achieving maximum yields. For that reason, we’ve employed hundreds of dependable sales team members across the country who work diligently to serve each of our grower customers so that they can get the most out of their Stine^® products.

But to do their jobs effectively, our sales team needs support, too. Enter Stine’s agronomy team.

Our agronomy team comprises of five knowledgeable and dedicated agronomists with decades of experience in the ag industry, many of whom started their careers as Stine sales team members. Their primary role is to provide the best agronomic resources, training and support to our sales team to set them up for success. This, in turn, allows our sales team to help their grower customers make the best agronomic decisions for their operations.

Meet our agronomy team and learn how they deliver value to our sales team and growers across the United States.   

• 

  Todd Schomburg, director of agronomy

  As director of agronomy, Todd works closely with our corn and soybean product managers to develop product and agronomic information for our sales team. He also oversees Stine’s Corn Agronomy Department, where he leads the company’s efforts to supply our sales force with the corn product training and agronomic information they need to place the best hybrids on the right acres for our grower customers.

  “Todd has been a dedicated leader for Stine for more than 20 years,” says Myron Stine, company president. “From his start as an independent sales rep to his move to regional sales agronomist and now director of agronomy, he continues to find new and innovative ways to improve our agronomic offerings and is dedicated to helping our sales team and grower customers succeed.”

• 

  Tony Lenz, corn technical agronomist

  As a corn technical agronomist, Tony provides agronomic support to the northern region of our territory, from the Dakotas to Minnesota to northern Iowa. His focus is to help regional sales agronomists (RSAs) and their sales teams by providing training on corn products and hybrid positioning. Tony uses his experience and expertise to help increase corn sales and get growers the highest-yielding hybrids that match their field conditions.

  “Tony has been an outstanding representative of Stine since joining our team as a regional sales agronomist in 1999,” says Myron. “He has a wealth of agronomic knowledge on both the corn and soybean sides, and he’s been a great resource for our sales force in the northern Corn Belt and beyond.”

• 

  Bill Kessinger, corn technical agronomist

  As a tenured Stine employee, Certified Crop Advisor and Certified Professional Agronomist, Bill Kessinger brings incredible value to our sales team.

  “We’re fortunate to have Bill on our team representing the Eastern region of the United States. From the eastern Corn Belt to the East Coast, Bill is well-positioned to support our RSAs and ISRs in the field. He knows a lot about agronomy and our products — we’re lucky to have him,” says Myron.

  As a corn technical agronomist, Bill helps Stine RSAs and independent sales representatives (ISRs) in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and up and down the East Coast with tough issues in the field and with selecting the best hybrids, varieties, and trait platforms to control weeds and maximize yield potential.

• 

  Tom Larson, corn technical agronomist

  In 2021, Iowa native and third-generation farmer Tom Larson joined the Stine team. As a corn technical agronomist, Tom serves as an agronomic advisor for Stine grower customers, dealers and sales team members in our northern and eastern territories.

  “He may be newer to Stine, but he’s not new to agriculture. Tom has more than 30 years of experience in farming, agronomy and agri-business. He’s committed to supporting our sales force throughout his regions and he’s always on the road training our team on the latest innovations and products. He’s a great asset to our agronomy team,” says Myron. 

• 

  Ben Shepherd, field agronomist

  North Dakota native Ben Shepherd joined the Stine agronomy department as a technical field agronomist in November 2021. Before landing a full-time position with Stine, Ben served as a part-time employee supporting Stine’s plot program in his region in North Dakota. Now, as a technical field agronomist, Ben supports RSAs and ISRs in Stine’s northern territories, including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. He also continues to work closely with the plot program in the region.

  “Ben has an outstanding background in agronomy and spent some time as a crop consultant before landing at Stine. His experiences and knowledge serve our sales force well, which will, in turn, help our grower customers troubleshoot any problems in their field,” says Myron.

  Interested in connecting with our agronomy or sales team? Find your local Stine representative on our Find Stine page. And follow along on our Ask the Agronomist blog to see the latest agronomic tips and recommendations from our expert agronomy team.

Stine^® 9714 brand corn is making waves in the industry as a leader in the short-stature corn game. As one of our Yield+ advantage corn lines, Stine 9714-G is already one of our top-performing products as evidenced by its performance in our Elite Yield Trials. In fact, in the trial average, it produces a $66.80 per acre yield advantage.

But 9714’s proven performance doesn’t stop with our yield trials. Here’s what customers are saying about the product in their operations:

Yield+ Corn Tour testimonials

Bob Manning, Waukee, Iowa, 9714-G
Customer Bob Manning has relied on the powerful genetics of Stine 9714-G brand corn for years. As a primarily corn-on-corn operation, he appreciates 9714's shorter stature and ability to thrive under Iowa’s cooler spring conditions. At 107-days relative maturity, Stine 9714 is a great option for growers who want to plant early.

“9714 … it’s a racehorse. And what that hybrid has — I call it vigor — it will blow out of the ground. I mean, I don’t care how cold it is. I get a little carried away sometimes and start planting a little early. You know, I might plant 5th of April, 10th of April, when it’s not really all that warm, but I have found that if I think it’s a little cool yet, that’s the hybrid I want to be planting early … I’m not the corn scientist like a lot of people are, but the cold germ on 9714 is tremendous. I mean every single plant grows no matter how cold that ground is. You can put it on 45-degree ground, and it will blow out of the ground like it’s 60 degrees.”

Another advantage of Stine 9714-G brand corn that Bob appreciates — as a shorter-stature hybrid, it has great standability and less biomass.  

“I want something shorter so the wind doesn’t blow it down. I think that’s a big part of that smaller corn … and with residue management when you’re corn on corn, I don’t want a lot of stalks. I want that shorter stalk to get rid of that residue.”

And as Bob would say, to achieve top-end yields, “It comes down to hybrid selection.” Learn more about Bob’s experience with 9714-G and other Stine products in his visit with Myron Stine.

Daron Judd, Lostant, Illinois, 9714-0
For Illinois grower Daron Judd, Stine 9714-0 comes to mind right away when asked about his favorite corn product. At 107-days relative maturity, 9714-0 is the earliest corn he plants on his farm.

“We like to get started with that [9714-0]; that way come fall, we can get going combining a little bit early. … What we found with 9714 is that even though it’s a 107-day corn, we’ve actually had years, not just year, YEARS where it has yielded just as good as our 114-day corn.”

Daron’s yield goal is 300+ bushels/acre each year, and he achieves that by pushing populations, something he’s able to do with Stine 9714-0. “It seems to handle the high populations very well.” 

Residue management is important for Daron in years when he plants corn on corn.

“It is shorter in stature, which we like — less biomass … We get in, we’re able to manage the residue easier with your shorter stature corn.”

He also adds, “It just seems to respond well to fungicide, and we’re a firm believer in that on the farm. 9714 is definitely one of our favorites.”

Check out Daron’s full interview with Myron Stine on the Stine Seedcast.

Other advantages

Stine 9714 brand corn comes both as conventional (9714-0) and glyphosate-tolerant (9714-G). It’s 105-107-day relative maturity and performs best at average to higher planting populations. It’s a workhorse that works hard for growers all season long.

For more information on Stine 9714 brand corn, contact your local sales rep.